environmental impact of industrial effluent in vaigai river and the...

International Research Journal of Environment Sciences________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414

Vol. 2(4), 34-38, April (2013) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci.

International Science Congress Association 34

Environmental Impact of Industrial Effluent in Vaigai River and the Ground

Water in and around the River at Anaipatti of Dindigul Distt, Tamil Nadu, India

Jesu A.1,2

, Prabudoss Kumar L.2, Kandasamy K.

2 and Dheenadayalan M.S.

2

1Kathir College of Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Neelambur, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, INDIA 2P.G. and Research Department of Chemistry G.T.N Arts College, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, INDIA

Available online at: www.isca.in Received 18th October 2012, revised 19th January 2013, accepted 31th January 2013

Abstract

Environmental includes water , air, land and the inter-relationship which exists among water, air, land and human being,

other living creatures, plants, micro-organism and property. Environmental pollutant means any solid, liquid or gaseous

substance presentation in concentration as may be injurious to environment. Environmental pollution means the presence in

the environment of any environment pollutant. Hazardous substance means any substance or preparation which by reason of

its physico-chemical properties or handling is liable to cause harm to human beings, other living creatures, plants, micro-

organism, property or the environment. The problem of pollution of rivers and streams has assumed considerable importance

and urgency to urbanization. It is therefore essential to ensure that the industrial effluent and domestic sewage water is not to

be allowed to discharge in to the water courses without adequate treatment. As such discharges would render the water

unsuitable as source of drinking water as well as for supporting fish life and also for use in irrigation. Pollution of rivers and

streams also causes increasing damage to the country’s economy. An attempt has been made to study the impact of untreated

sewage in the river located Nilakkottai in Dindigul. In fact the sanitary waste water comprises about 99.9% of water along

with micro-organism. Once the river water was used for bathing, washing and also for agricultural purpose, but at present the

water has become the place of collection of sewage water along with industrial effluent. In order to evaluate the physical,

chemical parameters, the water samples from the river and also from the well and from bore well were collected from the

residence located in and around the river and also on the banks of the Vaigai River. On any account the sewage water should

not be discharged in to the river water, which causes river water pollution and ground water pollution. In long run the water

becomes unfit for domestic and human consumption. The physico-chemical analysis of water in the river as well as the ground

water sources around the river reveals that there is high turbidity, high TDS shows that the water cannot be used for drinking

purposes. The electrical conductivity, the total hardness, the high chloride value in the ground water sources indicates that the

water cannot be used for human consumption. The safest way for the residence is to abandon the river water sources in order

to escape from the water borne diseases caused by the use of polluted river water.

Keywords: groundwater, physico-chemical, total dissolved solids, E. c, water quality.

Introduction

Over 97% of all the water an earth is salty and most of the remaining 3% is frozen in the polar ice caps

1. The Atmosphere,

River, lakes, and underground stores hold less than 1% of all the fresh water needed to support the earth’s population

2.

Most

fresh water pollution is caused by the addition of organic material is mainly sewage but can be food waste or farm effluent, bacteria and other micro-organism feed on organic matter and large populations quickly develop using up much of the oxygen dissolved in the water

3. The chemical waste products

from industrial process are sometimes accidentally discharged in to river

4. Examples of such pollutants include cyanide, zinc,

lead, copper, cadmium, and mercury5. This substance may enter

the water in such high concentration that fish and other animals are killed immediately

6. These are several source of water

pollution which work together to reduce overall river water quality

7.

Industry and agriculture discharge liquid waste product8. Rain

as it falls through the air or drains from urban areas and

farmland absorbs contaminants serious incidents resulting from

spillage or discharges of toxic chemicals from the pollution of

river9. Many industrial wastes discharged in to water mixtures

of chemicals which are difficult to treat10

. Some industrial

wastes are so toxic that they are strictly controlled, making them

an expensive problem to deal with some companies try to cut

the costs of safety dealing with waste by illegally dumping

chemicals11

.

Need for the present study: The number of sewage water and

the industrial effluents discharges in to the VaigaiRiver is

increasing day by day. The absence of treatment plant to treat

the sewage water and effluent treatment plant lead to the

spoilage of environment. One fine morning, people will not be

able to get good quality of drinking water from the river and

wells. In the study area of sewage is discharged in to the right

bank of River Vaigai. The industrial effluent is also discharged

from the left side of river. Polluted water contaminates the

surface and ground water. The environmental damage caused by

water pollution by the discharge of sewage water and industrial

International Research Journal of Environment Sciences______________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414



effluent in Vaigai River has not been so for studied. Hence the

present investigation was carried to study the comprehensive

pollution impact of sewage water and the industrial effluent on

Vaigai River and ground water.

Objectives of the present study: To study the impact of industrial effluent and sewage water on river water quality. To study the ground water quality in the wells and bore wells on the river bank. To suggest a suitable remedial measures for the treatment of water.

Material and Methods

Geography of the study area: Vaigai River selected for the

study is located in the southern part of Tamilnadu, India. Vaigai

its origin in the Western Ghats and flows through Periyakulam

and has its reservoir at Nilakottai called Vaigai Dam in

Anaipatty. The river flows across the TalukNilakottai of

Dindigul District towards Madurai.

The Vaigai River has many industries in the tank, located at

Vilampatty, Nilakottai Talk on the banks of the river. The

effluents released from the industry causes pollution of water in

the river. The ground water around the river and the industry are

also polluted.

Table-1

Guidelines of bureau of standard (BIS) and significance / health effects of chemical parameters

Parameters BIS guideline Significance/ health effects

Color in pt/co

scale 25 Consumer acceptance decreases

Turbidity 10 NTU Consumer acceptance decreases

TDS 500mg/L Undesirable taste, gastro-intestinal irritation, corrosion

PH 6.5-8.5 Beyond this range ,mucous membranes affected, corrosion, Life affected

CaCo3 600mg/L Poor lather with soap, scale forming, skin irritation, food poor in quality, boiled meat,

deterioration of cloths.

Ca 200mg/L Poor lather with soap and deterioration of cloths scale formation.

Mg 100mg/L Poor lather with soap and deterioration of clothes, with sulfate laxative, encrustation in water

supply structure.

Fe 1.0mg/L Poor or sometime bitter taste, stinging of materials, iron bacteria, iron causing slime.

NH3 - Indicates pollution, growth of algae.

NO2 - Forms nitrosamine’s which are carcinogenic.

NO3 100mg/L Blue baby disease, algal growth.

SO4 400mg/L Taste affected, laxative effect, gastro intestinal irritation.

Cl 100mg/L Taste affected corrosive.

F 1.5mg/L Dental and skeletal flourish, non-skeletal manifestation

PO4 - Algal growth

Figure-1

The investigator collecting samples from river water and the

ground water on the Vaigai River bank

Figure-2

Chemical Parameters of Various sample graph

( S1 TO S9 – Samples)




Table-2

Water Quality Analysis

S.No Water quality parameter Methods of analysis

1 Colour Visual comparison

2 Turbidity By Nephelometric method

3 Total dissolved solids By Conductivity meter

4 electrical conductivity By Conductivity meter

5 PH

By Digital PH meter

6 Total hardness CaCo3 By EDTA method

7 Alkalinity By Titration method

8 Calcium By ETDA method

9 Magnesium By EDTA method

10 Iron By Calorimetrically

11 Manganese BySpectrophotometer

12 Ammonia By Nesslerization method

13 Nitrite By Spectrophotometer

14 Nitrate By Spectrophotometer

15 Sodium and pottassium By Flame photometer

16 Chloride By Argentometric method

17 Fluoride By Calorimetrically

18 Sulphate By Gravimetric method

19 Phosphate By Calorimetrically

Results and discussion

The physical and chemical parameter analysis of river water and

the ground water on the Vaigai River bank are presented and

discussed.

In order to study the impact of industrial effluent and sewage

water disposal in the VaigaiRiver a study is carried out to assess

the extent and magnitude of surface water contamination and

ground water contamination along the downstream of Vaigai

River. The results of the sample from the river and the ground

water for the various physico-chemical analyses from the Vaigai

River are discussed. The variation in the various physic-

chemical parameters of the river water and the ground water at

different distance from the river were measured12

. The level of

various physico-chemical factors indicates the pollution was

found to exceed water the quality standards and affects the

water quality and water utility pattern13

. The ground water was

found to be of low quality near the rivers and the level of

pollutants found to decrease with increase in distance of the

water source from the polluted river14

. Electrical conductivity is

an important parameter to find the dissolved electrolytes in

water. The normal value of electrical conductivity is 1 to 2

micro mhos/cm. but the river has the values of 451 and 457

micro mhos/cm. These values are higher than the permissible

limit. The higher values are recorded at ground water sources

adjacent to the river.

The total dissolved solids in water include all the dissolved

solids. In the present study the total dissolved solids ranges from

562 mg/l and 1456 mg/l. Physical and chemical parameters

changes in water are depends on pH of the water. The chemical

examination of the water samples shows that the pH value from

6.84 to 7.67. The permissible limit prescribed by WHO and

BISstandards are 7.0 to 8.5. Hardness is the measure of calcium

and magnesium in the water. The highest desirable limit

prescribed by BIS is 100mg/l for drinking water. But the

hardness of the samples is higher than the permissible limit. It

means the water is very hard. According to BIS the highest

acceptable chloride concentration is specified as 200mg/l for

drinking purpose. In the present study the chloride values are

higher than the permissible limit. Hence the water cannot be

used for the domestic purposes. The increase of calcium in

water contributes to hardness in water and thereby reducing the

utility of water for domestic purposes. The normal acceptable

limit prescribed by BIS is 75mg/l. But in the present study the

river water has the values of 80 and 280.

Conclusion

The present study is attempted to evaluate the extent of

pollution of ground water in and around the Vaigai River

located at Nilakottai at Dindigul District. This study was carried

out to assess the magnitude of the pollution problems in Vaigai

River. The aim is to analyses and understands the toxic effect of

sewage water and solid wastes in drinking water and to assess

the day to day life of people nearby Vaigai River. Based on

findings of the investigation, it is concluded that the sewage

water must be treated before discharge. The absence of any

organized industrial and sewage disposal system in Nilakottai,

the community wastes often find their way to the nearby Vaigai

River.

The physico-chemical analysis of water in the river as well as

the ground water sources around the river reveals that there is

high turbidity, high TDS shows that the water cannot be used

for drinking purposes. The electrical conductivity, the total

hardness, the high chloride value in the ground water sources

indicates that the water cannot be used for human consumption.

In order to prevent the river water pollution, use of synthetic

detergents containing phosphate should be banned. This will

prevent the eutrophication in the river. The sewage water which

used to mix in the river water should be diverted in to the

underground drainage system. During the rainy season the rain

water harvesting in the river bed is essential to reduce the

impact of sewage pollution. In order to improve the quality of

ground water around the river a suitable R.O. system can be

used to remove salts present in the water.




Table-3

Result of the sample from the river and the ground water for the various physico-chemical analyses from the Vaigai River water quality

parameters

CPHEE

O STD

A

CPHEE

O STD

B

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9

Physical

parameters:

Colour, (Hazen

units, Max ) - -

Colour

less

Colour

less

Colour

less

Colour

less

Colou

r less

Colour

less

Colour

Less

Colou

r less

Colour

less

Odour

Unobjec

tonable

Unobjec

tonable None None None None None None None None None

Turbidity

( NTU, Max) 2.5 10 5 4 6 5 5 6 4 3 4

Total dissolved

solids mg/lt 500 2000 562 541 609 1029 1400 1456 760 1020 550

Electrical

Conductivity - - 1220 585 1670 590 2750 1790 2610 1020 650

Ph 7.0-8.5 6.5-9.2 7.02 6.66 7.21 7.18 7.56 7.74 7.04 7.03 7.26

Alkanity Total 200 600 256 260 400 220 1000 380 670 280 312

Total Hardness

as CaCO3

(Mg/I)

200 600 245 255 398 215 998 370 672 276 310

Calcium (as

Ca) mg/lit,Max 75 100 84 80 80 78 280 80 128 45 64

Magesium as

Mg mg/I 30 150 23 31 48 24 72 43 84 40 36

Sodium as Na

mg/I - - 196 112 204 156 260 296 54 59 54

Potassium as K

mg/I - - 31 24 34 35 68 86 8 15 8

Iron as Fe mg/I 0.1 1 0.93 0.2 0.07 0.14 0.3 0.09 0.9 0.5 0.9

Manganese as

Mn mg/I 0.05 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Ammonia as

NH3 mg/I - - 0.03 0.03 0.09 0.08 0.07 0.08 0.08 0.04 0.08

Nitrite as NO2

mg/I - - 0.02 0.05 0.09 0.05 0.11 0.12 0.06 0.05 0.06

Nitrate as NO3

mg/I 45 45 15 4 4 5 24 18 5 5 5

Chloride as Cl

mg/I 200 1000 190 120 220 42 890 210 775 144 60

Fluoride as F

mg/I 1 1.5 1.0 0.6 1.2 0.3 0.6 1.5 0.8 1.0 0.7

Sulphate as SO4

mg/I 200 400 22 95 194 29 54 72 20 56 31

Phosphate as

PO4 - - 0.68 0.04 0.04 0.06 0.42 0.5 0.21 0.24 0.21

Tidys’s test 4

hrs as O2 mg/I - - 0.32 0.32 0.16 0.19 0.24 0.28 0.28 0.32 0.28

CPHEEO: central public health engineering and environmental organization. CPHEEO STD A – Acceptable limit. CPHEEO STD

B – Cause for Rejection

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